June 20 is National Ride to Work Day – Safety First!

What is Ride to Work Day?

On Monday, June 20th, 2016, motorcyclists and scooter-owners take to the road for the 25th annual National Ride to Work Day.

Started in 1992 as an informal motorcycling promotion with the catchy slogan of “Work to Ride–Ride to Work,” the Ride to Work event has grown to become a substantial charitable organization with over 1,000,000 U.S. commuter participants worldwide. The event is held on the third Monday every June. The main goal is to increase motorcycling as a transportation alternative to larger vehicles.

In addition to its stated primary goal of encouraging motorcycle riding to help reduce traffic and parking congestion in large cities, several secondary goals exist. Ride to Work Day demonstrates the growing numbers of motorcyclists to the general public and politicians. It shows that motorcycles are important for transportation as well as recreation. It provides evidence that motorcyclists are from all walks of life. And it shows that motorcycling can be a social good.

The popularity of Ride to Work Day started in the U.S. but quickly spilled over to other countries including Australia, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Slovenia, Israel, Turkey, Ecuador, Argentina, and the Philippines.

But What About Motorcycle Safety?

This is another main issue brought to light by National Ride to Work Day.

Although many benefits exist for motorcycle riding, motorcycles are incredibly dangerous, and accidents can prove extremely serious.

Thousands of motorcyclists are killed in accidents each year. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) encourages motorcyclists to ride safe and sober, especially since statistics show that intoxicated motorcyclists are more common on the roads than intoxicated motorists, resulting in high fatality rates.

Motorcyclists comprise just 3% of the driving population, but they make up at least 14% of fatalities in street accidents.INFOGRAPHIC

This may be because while automobile safety improves each year with new designs and new technologies, motorcycle safety remains about the same as it was forty years ago. The very nature of motorcycles themselves prevents much advancement in the way of operator safety.

How Can Car Drivers Help?

Certain social initiatives do help prevent motorcycle accidents. The popular “Share the Road” campaign has increased awareness of motorcyclists and their safety.

But on Ride to Work Day — and, indeed, every day — motorists can be helpful in keeping everyone safe. Here are some easy tips for car and truck drivers to follow to help prevent motorcycle accidents:

Stay alert. Motorcycles and cars have different rules of the road. Don’t expect a motorcycle to do everything you would as a car driver. Motorcycles are less visible, accelerate faster, brake harder and expose their riders to more danger in general.

Change lanes safely. A motorcycle can easily be in your blind spot, so double-check when you change lanes.

Don’t follow a motorcycle too closely.

Don’t talk on your phone (or text) and drive. Your vehicle and the road should have your attention at all times.

Don’t pass a motorcycle even if its directional signals are on. The driver may have accidentally turned them on and passing him or her may compromise the motorcyclist’s safety.

If a motorcyclist has suffered injury from an accident, is legal help available?

Unfortunately, thousands of motorcycle, car and truck accidents happen every day. And because of the for-profit nature of the insurance industry, often times injured motorcyclists don’t receive the payouts they should, leaving unpaid bills to fall on the victims themselves to pay.

Your legal solution is Kuzyk Law. Kuzyk Law has experience handling every aspect of motorcycle accident cases. Our motorcycle accident lawyers in Los Angeles County can make sure you get proper financial compensation for your injuries, pain and suffering, medical bills and property damage.

We at Kuzyk Law will put our expertise to work for you in order to maximize your recovery. Of course, there is no fee unless we obtain a financial recovery for you. We are only successful if you are successful.

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